The present invention relates to a novel fruit indent removal device.
The production of fruit sauces, such as applesauce, entails the mass processing of raw fruit with the removal of the peels and other undersirable portions such as the stem and blossom cavities or indents, seed pods and the like.
In the case of apples, prior applesauce production methods have failed to entirely eliminate the blossom end or calyx material from contaminating the finished applesauce product. The calex material is often referred to as "fly legs", since it resembles the same. Unfortunately, applesauce containing "fly legs" and is downgraded is generally deemed to be unacceptable to the consumer. It has been found that seeds, seed cells, and stem portions pose less of a problem since they are easily filtered or screened later in the applesauce production process.
In the past, machines have been devised for peeling and coring apples in order to positively excise the stem and blossom portions of apples. Unfortunately, although successful in this regard, as much as 20% of the bulk of an individual apple is lost or wasted. For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,303 depicts a machine of this genre.
Complicating the process of apple indent removal is the fact that apples are not of uniform size and often are oriented stem side up or stem side down prior to coring or reaming.
A device which solves problems encountered in the prior art for producing fruit sauce, such as applesauce, would be a great advance in the food processing industry.